{"title":"Exploring a green Swedish model: Coinciding and contradictory interests on a just climate transformation in Sweden.","authors":"Jens Ergon, Roger Hildingsson, Mikael Karlsson","doi":"10.1007/s13280-025-02144-6","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Climate policies are challenged around the world, a development coinciding with the backlash of globalisation. The emergence of the modern welfare state, however, indicates that similar tensions may give rise to transformative change, if coinciding interests for change develop. This article explores the case of Sweden, critical due to its longstanding role as an environmental frontrunner, now experiencing climate policy rollback. Based on 31 in-depth interviews, we analyse perceptions on a just transformation among business, trade union and civil society actors. The analysis reveals new and coinciding interests, driven by desire to restore climate leadership, and includes financial reform, more active state interventions and new policy tools to ensure public legitimacy. Views diverge on the depth of a just transformation, and power relations are different compared to the emergence of the welfare state. Nevertheless, a green Swedish model can be discerned, forging enhanced climate mitigation and renewed welfare state arrangements.</p>","PeriodicalId":461,"journal":{"name":"Ambio","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Ambio","FirstCategoryId":"93","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-025-02144-6","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Climate policies are challenged around the world, a development coinciding with the backlash of globalisation. The emergence of the modern welfare state, however, indicates that similar tensions may give rise to transformative change, if coinciding interests for change develop. This article explores the case of Sweden, critical due to its longstanding role as an environmental frontrunner, now experiencing climate policy rollback. Based on 31 in-depth interviews, we analyse perceptions on a just transformation among business, trade union and civil society actors. The analysis reveals new and coinciding interests, driven by desire to restore climate leadership, and includes financial reform, more active state interventions and new policy tools to ensure public legitimacy. Views diverge on the depth of a just transformation, and power relations are different compared to the emergence of the welfare state. Nevertheless, a green Swedish model can be discerned, forging enhanced climate mitigation and renewed welfare state arrangements.
期刊介绍:
Explores the link between anthropogenic activities and the environment, Ambio encourages multi- or interdisciplinary submissions with explicit management or policy recommendations.
Ambio addresses the scientific, social, economic, and cultural factors that influence the condition of the human environment. Ambio particularly encourages multi- or inter-disciplinary submissions with explicit management or policy recommendations.
For more than 45 years Ambio has brought international perspective to important developments in environmental research, policy and related activities for an international readership of specialists, generalists, students, decision-makers and interested laymen.